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Published: January 21st 2015
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well, my dear readers, this is most certainly your lucky day. Not only shall I regale you with reports from two different trips, but from two different countries !!!!! I know, the excitement is so much, that your correspondent has had to resort to cider, while Cusco has had to go for a lie down just thinking about it - certainly a tough life being a spaniel.
The first adventure in this blog, takes us from the relative safety of Dorset, to the wild, untamed land that is called Hampshire, home of Portsmouth but thankfully, we were situated in a campsite near Fordingbridge called Sandy Balls. Now, many people have accused your correspondent of being cruel at choosing such a campsite so soon after Cusco had been castrated, but as previously mentioned - certainly a tough life being a spaniel.
Describing the site, will fall to me as my navigator and chief shouter-at-me, left her camera at home - notice I say her camera to give a clue. The more astute of you will have guessed that this means there are no photographs for this part of the journey and those who haven't worked that out, then there is
no hope. This is a large site based on Center Parc idea of having a central area with bar, restaurant , shop, games room etc. and definitely geared to family enjoyment and encouraging children to live in a lawless state. Indeed, there were several of these small humans roaming around on bikes, just a bit too quick for your correspondent to throw a half brick at. In the middle of summer this would be a new level of hell.
Children apart, and generally they should be kept so, there were a some great walks along the Avon valley for Cusco to explore despite the river being packed with vampire fish - I jest not, check out the photograph your correspondent took using his new invention - a mobile phone. The trip also provided us with the longest trip in Claude so far, a round trip of a whole seventy miles !!!! This gave your correspondent a chance to enjoy the civilised fun of causing a long tailback behind him on single lane roads !!! Wendy pointed out, a bit ungraciously I feel, that in the past, I would have been swearing and trying to over take the moron in
the "bloody motor home ". Now though, I find driving at 40 mph a positive delight.
Guests on this excursion were Jane, Dan, Gaye, Charlton, Alexander, Sandra, followed by Colette, Mattie, Eddie and about forty of their friends.
Claude was returned to the bold Farmer Malcolm to rest before the next adventure. Now, to be fair, many people had advised me of not making the next trip. Wendy was unsure which roads would be safest, many others warned of the unfriendliness of the locals and Zeus even whipped up gale force winds, snow and thunderstorms to deter me, but we still made our way in to.......Wales.
The journey towards the border passed without too much incident, apart from my navigator hurting her ankle by smashing her foot down on an imaginary brake any time we drove at more than 15 mph. Cusco seemed a trifle agitated in his back seat position and your correspondent did feel a trifle uneasy as we all knew the Severn Bridge and Cymru were drawing closer with every mile. Once we joinerd the M4 there was no turning back, the bridge would have to be crossed. Wendy started looking for emergency flares
and parachutes, the driver just closed his eyes and pointed the van forward and put his foot time, while Cusco curled himself into a small ball and whimpered uncontrollably. To say the crossing was fun and free from being buffeted around by force 10 gales in driving rain would be a lie. However, to say the rest of the weekend in Wales was spent in downpours, snow and freezing cold weather would be absolutely true. Summer/winter there has no distinguishing features.
Was good fun in between frostbite and pleurisy, as we worked out many more things about Claude and receiving about 6 weeks of food from Ann. The site was based at Tredegar House, so many long walks in the freezing wet conditions were had. A hoary horde of Hooks turned up - Liz and Neil with Lauren and Jon, then James and Sean turned up a bit later, so many laughs were had and much alcohol consumed . On the Sunday we had a visit from Ann, Dennis, Val and Seila and we were lucky enough to receive some kind gifts from them and Dennis did a dog whisperer trick on Cusco that we need to learn.
All in all , two good trips and if we can get through Wales and weather, then nothing should hold much fear for us.
Hey ho !!!
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Ann Voss
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What have you been drinking? More errors than usual.... The residents of Tredegar would not take kindly to being mixed up with those of Tredegar Park NEWPORT